I'd like to cross-country ski and cache but need a few ideas. I know there are a couple of groomed trails (the St. Paul ones require a DNR pass and the Minneapolis ones charge a fee). Do you know of any trails with caches nearby?

Please help me by posting any caches you know that are off ski trails or other suitable locations. And please tell us how far away from the trail they are (if you know)--maybe just list a ballpark like 1-20 ft, 20-50 ft, 50-100 ft, ect. Thanks!

Just about most of the county level parks in the metro have ski trails.

I was just going to say the same. Cleary and Murphy Hanrehan are Three Rivers Parks, so all of those caches are near the trails, most within 50 feet I think. Ritter, though it is a city park, still has most caches close to the trails. I'm not too sure about Lebanon Hills. The few I have done were also within 100 feet of the trails.

I think there are a few in Elm Creek Park Preserve, although not being a x-country skier I don't know about that park. Also I think my cache Mojo at Eagle Lake is along a ski trail, I'm not 100% sure if the trail it is on is a ski trail, but I know they have them there, and if it is that trail has another about .2 farther down.

That it the code for a cache called Gilligan's Island. It is north of the Blaine area in a large area called Linwood Park or something like that. There are about a dozen cached in the park and the entire park is a cross country ski area. it is all laid out with trail markers and all of the caches are either right on the trail are appear to be within a few feet of the trail. I was there in the summer and hiked it to get them and it was probably the nicest hike I was on all summer long for caching. Very pretty. I had a ball doing them but got much wetter than I think you will this time of year.

2 of our 3 caches in French Regional park are on groomed ski trails. I believe both are lit trails but I think a fee is required.
GC1GQRP - French Regional Park - Dog Cache,
GC1GR31 - French Regional Park - Lagoon
Both caches are within 20' to 50' of the trail as required by the park._________________the Fox family
___________________
foxes in the woods, it seems natural

I have done my share of caching on XC skiis. Mostly in the south Metro. I was at the Elm Creek Park reserve on Sunday, and the caches along the north border of the park were very close to the trails. I was not XC skiing to these as I did not have the daily or seasonal permit.
When we get a fresh snowfall and I want to get out caching, I usually look for caches using the Google Maps, looking for parks and nature areas with caches that I have not found. I have had good luck doing it this way. I don't usually look for micros in the winter.

Both Halloween Hollow and What's Cookin' at Crow-Hassan are ski-friendly. In Crow-Hassan park in Rogers (NW metro). They do not groom the trails anymore, but it's still nice skiing if you don't mind that. I believe there are a few caches in Bunker Park in Andover that are ski-friendly as well.

hello, just found this thread and thought i should give my two cents. if you are still looking for some caches on/near ski trails, search (gc.com) zip code 56501 and look for the caches that start with PHST: as of today there are 12 on the trails, 2 multi's and a night cache, the rest are single stages. i have found most of them are they are reasonably close to the trail. hope that helps out, good luck (i found most of them with only about an inch or so of snow)

in the area i mentioned earlier there is only one single stage cache that would require bushwacking, and that one is only about 50 feet from the trail. also the night cache will take you through the woods. the other single stages out there are close to the trail, should be able to get them even with xc ski boots. but yes snow shoes are welcome as well, and might even be better...you tell me.

in the area i mentioned earlier there is only one single stage cache that would require bushwacking, and that one is only about 50 feet from the trail. also the night cache will take you through the woods. the other single stages out there are close to the trail, should be able to get them even with xc ski boots. but yes snow shoes are welcome as well, and might even be better...you tell me.

I've done both. If you're just out for the exercise, x-country skiing. If you want to geocache, snowshoeing. No question about it for me.

I'm sure my XC skiing friends are quite dismayed with the thoughts of a brown Christmas upcoming, but I was excited to do something today which I haven't been able to do before.

Taking advantage of the recent cold weather and the extreme lack of snow, I was able to skate to a couple of island caches today! The 3/4 mile out with the wind was a "breeze", but then the return trip against the wind was where the excercise came into full effect.

Sorry XC'ers, but I really hope this weather continues, skating virtually without bounds is a really fun experience.